


Delicate

by Insomniac_with_dreams



Series: The Google Docs Dump Fanfics [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, they're both idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:27:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22581736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insomniac_with_dreams/pseuds/Insomniac_with_dreams
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: The Google Docs Dump Fanfics [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1609384
Comments: 2
Kudos: 59





	Delicate

Keith hated it, loved it. Yearned for it, wanted to run far far away from it. These new terrifying feelings. The way the world seemed like a better place when Lance would laugh or drop a cup of coffee off on his way out the door every morning. The long sleepless nights where they would both lay awake staring at the cracked ceiling of their roof, and talk. Talk about that stupidest stuff, the deepest, the grossest. Keith or Lance would say something particularly gross about the bathroom in the library and a pillow would be thrown across the room. They’d spend a minute throwing pillows back and forth before collapsing into their respected beds, the room filled with breathless laughter. Then Keith would roll over away from Lance the pounding of his heart becoming all encompassing.

He was thinking about this all as he sat on their slouching couch pressing a washcloth to his nose. The stream of blood had slowed, but it hadn’t stopped completely. He glared at the door that he had struggled through an hour prior, daring it to open. Daring Lance to come through it. He didn’t know if he could survive the look of disappointment that would flash through pellucid blue eyes. He’d seen that look directed at him far too many times. 

Keith sighed bringing his hand up to gingerly run it over his swollen eye. It had been a nasty fight. Lance probably already knew, Keith’s reputation wasn’t the best, and anytime there was some sort of fight that Keith was part of, it was all over social media before the hour was up. Lance would normally find him before he got back to their apartment. Glaring at him and dragging him into the nearest bathroom, ( unless of course it was the library bathroom.) He’d glare at Keith muttering about stupid, reckless mullet, but wiping the blood gently away from his split lips or nose. Making Keith fall deeper in love with him.

Lance had been on a date though so Keith doubted that he had looked at his phone yet. Keith had had literal dreams about going on a date with Lance. He was the dream date. Dressing formally for almost everything, never looking at his phone, completely invested. Several times Keith had felt the undeniable urge to find whoever Lance had been on a date with and slap them when Lance would come back home dejected and tired looking. It was one of the many things that made Keith get into so many fights. Lance. Almost always it was Lance. Some jerk commented on how he looked that day in a less complementing manner and a more pervy manner. Or some one who Lance would come home gushing about, claiming they were the one, laughing at him and calling him naive. Those were the people that made Keith furious. That was the person that had punched him in the face so hard his nose cracked and he had to pop it back into place.

He never told Lance that he was the reason he got into fights. That would get close to the core of his feeling and Keith was not ready for the friendship they had worked too hard to build, fall apart. He wanted Lance, but he definitely did not want to lose his friendship with Lance. That he absolutely could not do. So he made up excuses. Most times throwing himself under the bus. He was just cranky and someone bumped into him. Someone was messing with him. Sometimes it was more noble lies that weren’t always lies. Lance would shake his head with a sigh, he’d absentmindedly brush Keith’s bangs away from his eyes and tell him in a voice that caused shivers to run up and down Keith’s spine that his hero complex was too much. Keith would agree and then they’d walk home together, Lance rambling on about the customers that came into the bookstore he worked at that day. Keith would listen nod along and wouldn’t feel too bad about the stinging on his knuckles.

Keith groaned leaning back against the couch. He would admit the guy hit him _hard_. His head was pounding and his nose throbbed. He was actually tempted to call Lance but he resisted the urge, he could check if he had a concussion himself. He rocked to his feet grabbing his phone to check the time. He pointedly ignores the list of texts from Shiro. He’s either texting to lecture Keith or ask if he was okay. Keith didn’t want either. It was almost nine thirty. Lance was normally back home by seven, he probably was spending the night with his date. Keith grimaced and threw the phone back on to the couch. It shouldn’t bother him so much, he had no right to be bothered, but he was. He stalked to the bathroom anger at himself rippling through his veins. 

The bathroom lights burned into his skull as he peered at himself in the mirror. His face was turning a nasty purple that would definitely be there for a few days. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again looking at himself closer. They responded how they should to the change in light. He sighed, thanking whoever was listening that he didn’t to deal with a hospital trip, and could just go to sleep. He stripped his shirt off and washed his face dropping the blood speckled shirt into the hamper. He flicked the bathroom light off as he walked out feeling keenly lonely at the empty apartment around him and Lance’s empty bed. His phone sat silently on the couch and he grabbed it on the way to his room. He paused and doubled back grabbing the washcloth.

He woke up to his bed dipping and someone slipping under the covers to press against him. Lance wrapped his arm around Keith’s chest and leaned his forehead against Keith’s back. He smelled cold,meaning he had walked home instead of calling an Uber, meaning he had needed to clear his head, meaning something happened. Keith felt fully awake now. He shifted turning his head so he was talking over his shoulder.

“ You okay?” His voice was heavy and gravelly from sleep. Lance shuddered behind him. Keith reached towards his bed side table panic spreading into his bones. He sat up, Lance made a noise of protest. Keith turned to him, heaving him up to get a good look at him.

His hair was tousled, eyes nose and cheeks red. His mouth was drawn down into a trembling frown. Keith cupped his cheeks searching his eyes.

“ What happened?” Lance looked away before his mouth quirked up and he met Keith’s eyes again. A soft gentle hand touched Keith’s black eye.

“ I could ask you the same thing?” Keith frowned he wasn’t going to let Lance change the subject. He grabbed the hand on his face.

“ Lance did something happen to you?” Lance shook his head looking fully away, “ Then what’s wrong? You don’t just crawl into my bed for no reason.” Lance pulled on Keith’s grip. Keith let him go. Lance curled into himself, arms folding across his chest.

“ Lance please, you're scaring me.” His voice sounded soft now and more desperate than he had meant it to. “ Tell me what happened to you.” 

“ I-I” Lance stammered and cursed. A tear slid down his face. Keith wanted to wipe it away but Lance beat him to it, stroking it off his face with a quick flick of his wrist. 

“ I haven’t felt right in a long time.” His eyes were still turned from Keith.

“ I’ve tried, I’ve tried so _hard_ Keith, but I can’t.” More tears were sliding down his cheeks and his voice was hitching. Keith took a chance and put a hand on Lance’s knees. He was still wearing the same pair of dark jeans that had made Keith’s breath catch.

“ You can tell me Lance. You know you can.” He tried to make his voice as soft as he could, but worry was eating at his rationalization. Lance bowed his head.

“ No one felt right, no one made me feel safe or cared for, and I couldn’t allow that. But tonight it just hit me so hard and I can’t help it. I’ve tried.” He was sobbing now body folding in on itself.

“ I don’t understand. Lance help me understand.” Lance sobbed harder and Keith reached for him. Lance slapped his hand away before staring into his eyes.

“ It’s you Keith it’s always you, always has been you! I’m in _love with you_ , and I’m so sorry!”

Keith had heard about people’s lives stopping the second they heard they lost someone they lost, but Keith was feeling this now, as he gained so much. His world stopped, his breath caught, and he could feel his mouth hanging open. Lance was in love with _him_ ? Lance was in love with him. Lance was in LOVE with _him_! He had said he loved Keith and then, apologized? The recollection of that part brought Keith out of his stupor. Lance was scooting off the bed and Keith could not have that.

He wrapped his arms around Lance bringing him to his chest, holding him as he cried. He was apologizing and talking about moving out and Keith laughed.

“ Lance, why would I ever want you to leave?” Lance sniffed and ran his sleeve under his nose.

“ B-because I’m in love with you?” He said it again. Keith couldn’t take it anymore turning Lance’s head towards him sealing their lips together. Lance made a surprised noise before falling into it. 

It was wet and salty and so imperfect. Keith loved every second of it. A wave of contended joy flooded over him. He felt whole like he had found his missing piece. When they finally broke apart Lance searched his face.

“ What was that for?” Keith laughed again happy and free.

“ That was for the fact that I am an idiot with words.” Lance’s eyes grew comically wide.

“ You?” His voice was breathless, “ are you in love with me?” 

Keith was smiling and pulling Lance into his chest.

“ Wasn’t the kiss enough?” Lance shrugged and Keith didn’t even have to look at his face to know he was pouting. He pressed a long kiss into Lance’s hair.

“ I love you, Lance. I have for a long time. I was just as scared to destroy what we had too.”

Lance sat up and cupped Keith’s face gently, searching his eyes.

“ We’re kinda dumb.” Keith fell back on the bed laughing bringing Lance with him. They lay there breathing each other in. Lance drawing patterns across Keith’s chest, Keith running his hands through Lance’s hair.

“ No one did hurt you right?” Keith asked, hands never stilling. Lance sighed.

“ No. I probably hurt them though. I just kinda got up and left with little explanation. I needed to be with you.” Keith closed his eyes and hummed. Lance wanting him was the most delectable feeling in the world. A finger poked him in the chest.

“ And how bout you mister shiner? What happened to warrant that?” Keith shrugged. The fight from earlier and even the pain in his face seem so insignificant to now.

“ I might tell you, one day.”


End file.
